Reynolds v. United States Shortened

Title

Reynolds v. United States Shortened

Description

The Reynolds v. United States Case is absolutely fundamental to the issue of polygamy in the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. George Reynolds was an Elder in the Church, who knowingly violated the 1862 Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act. As a result, Reynolds was indicted and found guilty in the lower court, forcing him to appeal to the Supreme Court. He argued that it was his religious duty to have multiple marriages, and therefore the court’s actions violated his religious rights. The Supreme Court however maintained the lower court’s ruling, and declared that the court could not legislate against religious opinions, but it could legislate against religious actions that could prove harmful to American society. This case clearly defines why the practices of the Mormons were incompatible with American values, and what the Mormons ought to do in order to act in accordance with these American values. This case makes it imperative that the Mormon people discontinue their polygamous actions if they chose to no longer pose a threat to American society.